Did you set New Year’s Resolutions? I did! Every year, people set new goals to eat better, exercise more, etc., but many have dropped their goals by Valentine’s Day. How can we keep ourselves focused on the goals we so sincerely set at the beginning of the year? Try these tips to give yourself an edge.
1. Write it down!
We’ve all heard that we SHOULD write down our goals, but research actually backs this up. Dr. Gail Matthews of Dominican University in California studied 267 participants and found that people are 42% more likely to achieve their goals if they write them down.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that those who create dream or goal boards with PICTURES of their goals are even more likely to stay focused.
ACTION: Take time this week to write down your top goals for the year. Be specific, and include both short-term and long-term goals. Next, create a poster or visual of some kind and place it where you will see it daily. Post it on your bathroom mirror, save it electronically and use it as your screen saver, or make it part of your decor by framing it and displaying it in your home. The more often you see your goals, the better.
Here’s a great place to create an online board: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/O-Dream-Board-Envision-Your-Best-LifeTM
2. Make a plan!
Dreams and goals are great, but if we never take action, they never become reality. Write down SPECIFIC actions you can take on a daily and weekly basis to reach each goal. Again, you need to be reminded to do these actions by seeing your list.
ACTION: Create an appointment on your smart phone and set an alarm. Try to find consistent times and days for your actions so that they become a routine. Remember that it takes about 30 days to establish a new habit, so keep those actions in front of you for the first 30 days to make the rest of your year easier.
3. Find a friend!
It is so much easier to stick to something if we aren’t doing it alone! If your goals is to eat only whole foods, find a friend or two to exchange recipes, share ideas, and even shop and cook together. If your goal is to exercise 4 times a week, find a workout buddy or at least someone who will let you “check in” with them weekly to say, “I did it!”
I have a 90 Day program for my clients where we encourage each other, offer workout suggestions, trade recipes, and such on Facebook, and It Works offers a free online community called FitWorks for all customers and distributors. This program is currently being updated, but here’s a video about the goals and highlights of FitWorks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSTlPomkC5A
There are lots of options for online fitness communities. Check out 10 options here: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/20/10-online-workout-programs/
ACTION: Find a friend or two to help you stay on track, or choose one of these online options.
Whatever your health goals, you can reach them! Even if you’ve hit a slump since January 1, it’s not too late to start again! What are your health goals? Write them down, make a plan, and a find a friend to help you reach them. The secret to success: Keep going!
One Woman's Journey 
Reblogged this on My Weight Loss Journey and commented:
Something that I must do!